The life of homework and tests

Sunday

Sep 30, 2012 at 6:00 AM

I know it has been a while since you last read about my kids and family — six weeks to be exact.In this time, a lot has happened.

Thad AngellozColumnist

I know it has been a while since you last read about my kids and family — six weeks to be exact.In this time, a lot has happened.First, there was a hurricane by the name of Isaac that obviously altered our lives and yours.Next, we saw school start, only to stop prematurely before resuming again two weeks ago. We can thank Isaac for that, too!While we continue getting acclimated to ferrying children to dancing, religion class and soccer practice, something else we are adjusting to are homework and tests.When you are a parent to babies and toddlers, you begin hearing from friends and others about the joys — I'm joking of course — of doing homework and studying with your school-aged children.If you are anything like me you probably listen, but don't really understand what these parents are talking about.Let's face it, unless you are personally affected by something like homework and studying with your kids you don't typically worry yourself with what others are saying.If you are anything like me, you probably tell yourself, “Oh, it can't be that bad!” or “We have a few years before we have to worry about that!”Well, guess what?Our waiting came to an abrupt end in late August.Gone are the days of looking at our son's art work and complimenting him on some cute project he made for us.Yeah, Griffin's school still makes time for these creative projects, but that is just a small part of his newly enhanced academic routine.Weekly tests, nightly homework assignments and reviewing spelling words and math problems have become the new norm in both his and our world.One thing that has already become apparent to me is how much more my son seems to know at this age than I did and how different first grade is than what I remember.As I step into my own personal time machine and travel back to good ole' 1986, I remember things like the “Back to the Future” movie and watching Scooby Doo on the weekends. In first grade I can recall working on homework and test-taking, but I guess I don't remember it being much of a botheration because I was small.Any parent out there can relate to how difficult fitting recreational activities in with homework and studying can truly be.Some nights it seems like my son barely has a chance to catch his breath.But, that's what weekends are for, right?Am I saying that it is bad for teachers to assign lots of homework? No, not in the least. I understand it is part of making a child whole academically, but it definitely isn't easy for either the kid or the parent.I guess the most important thing to ask yourself as a parent when you find yourself in the middle of helping your child complete a homework assignment or study for a test is “Am I seeing this child grow academically as a result of all this?”In our case I can say “Yes.”Does he still have a ways to go? I can also answer this with a yes.As I see what my wife and other teachers go through to make students the best they can be, I laugh at those who say these professional educators aren't making every effort to push their students to reach their peak potential.Some will argue that test scores show we are behind where we should be, but from where I'm sitting I can only judge based upon what I see.What I see is children being asked to learn and know more than any other point before.Whether these beefed-up efforts reflect in drastically higher test scores is anyone's guess, but it is hard to argue that the majority of teachers out there aren't working harder than ever on behalf of the children they've been entrusted with in their respective classrooms.A pair of recent open-houses at my wife and son's school impressed upon me just how lucky I am to have such great centers of learning in my own backyard. Taking a glance inside these classrooms and hearing what these teachers had to say gives me hope that our educational system is in good hands right now.Well, anyway, enough of this, it is time for me to go help my son get ready for his social studies test.